Gasoline tax

Re “You might want to fill up that gas tank before Nov. 1 tax hike” (sacbee.com, Oct. 27) Californians have already paid for road improvements at the pump all along, but the money wasn’t used for that purpose and instead was funneled into the general fund for pork projects. Estimated cost is an additional $600 per household per year. The 12 cents a gallon in addition to the current gas tax structure also includes an inflation factor, so you can bet the new gas tax will not be limited to its starting increase of 12 cents. Also the coming cap-and-trade regulations may add another 70 cents a gallon by the year 2030, not to mention the possibilities of future taxes or increases. Sadly, the average Californian does not pay attention to legislation that affects them. Further, while there is supposed to be a special oversight committee to make sure the money goes to transportation purposes only, can one really believe that legislators or bureaucrats won’t figure out how to get around the oversight?

Mark Roberts, Loomis

Kevin McCarthy

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Re “Darrell Issa rebukes California Gov. Jerry Brown on taxes” (sacbee.com, Oct. 27): House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Bakersfield, says the current tax system forces other states to subsidize California. According to statistics in The Atlantic in March, California is one of 14 states receiving less than $1 in return for every $1 paid in federal taxes while, among nine states, Florida receives more than $4, and South Carolina receives nearly $8. Tell me how these states are subsidizing California.

William Zinn, Citrus Heights

Darrell Issa

Re “Darrell Issa rebukes California Gov. Jerry Brown on taxes” (sacbee.com, Oct. 27): I am confused by Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Vista, and House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Bakersfield. They both lament the high taxes in California, yet by supporting the elimination of deductions for state and local taxes as part of the federal tax overhaul, they are calling for a tax increase for their own voters. Does this sound a little backward? Just who do they represent: the Republican Party, President Donald Trump and so-called red states? Elimination of these deductions would target blue states, so I think it fair to call it what it is: political retribution. Somebody please calculate the tax increase for each district by California Republicans who are in line with Issa and McCarthy so that their voters can see just how much their representatives are in their corner. What a joke.